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Fees and Funding

UK & EU Fee

£9,000 (2013/14)

Overseas Fee

£19,500 (2013/14)

General Funding Notes

Details about financial support are available at: www.ucl.ac.uk/study/ug-finance

Contacts

Admissions Tutor

Dr Bill Sillar

Admissions Administrator

Ms Charlotte Frearson

Email: ioa-ugadmissions@ucl.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 1494

Key Facts

Research Assessment Exercise

60% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
(What is the RAE?)

Departmental website

Institute of Archaeology

More Information

Prospectus subject entry

Archaeology

Prospectus faculty entry

Social and Historical Sciences

Archaeology with a Year Abroad BA

UCAS Code: F401

This degree offers all the flexibility of the Archaeology BA programme combined with the opportunity to study abroad. The third year of the degree is spent at an approved partner university in Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan or the United States.

Entry Requirements

A Levels

Grades AAB-ABB
Subjects No specific subjects.
AS Levels A pass in a further subject at AS level or equivalent is required.
GCSEs English Language and Mathematics at grade C. For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs

IB Diploma

Points 34-36
Subjects A score of 16-17 points in three higher level subjects, with no score lower than 5.

Other Qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Selected entry requirements will appear here

International Qualifications

International Qualifications

In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.

Selected country's equivalent grades will appear here

University Preparatory Certificates

UCL offers intensive one-year foundation courses to prepare international students for a variety of degree programmes at UCL.

The University Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.

For more information see our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will also need to satisfy UCL's English Language Requirements. A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Degree Summary

Degree Benefits

  • Gain a broad knowledge of past human societies and their development, and the varied methods of archaeological data recovery, analysis and interpretation.
  • The chance to study a particular area of the world in more depth, to gain valuable skills and experience in a different and challenging academic environment, and to develop an understanding of the theory and practice of archaeology outside the UK.
  • The UCL Institute of Archaeology is a lively and exciting place in which to study. It hosts numerous lectures by visiting archaeologists, and has a strong sense of community.
  • The Institute is home to one of the best archaeology libraries in the world and has its own teaching collections, including the Petrie Museum of Egyptology.

Core courses in the first year provide a solid grounding in the practical and theoretical methods in archaeology and an introduction to major issues in world prehistory.

The second and fourth years provide a more advanced understanding of archaeology and allow you to develop your own specialised interests by choosing options in particular subject areas.

Your third year is spent entirely abroad at one of our partner institutions, where you will take courses and fulfil all academic responsibilities relevant to that institution. You will need to be in good academic standing and linguistically competent for your exchange destination.

Your Learning

You will be taught using a mixture of lectures, seminars and practical sessions, either field or laboratory-based. Full use is made of our extensive teaching and reference collections and close connections to the national museums and collections of London.

Assessment

Coursework, typically 1,500-2,500-word essays, is used to assess most courses. Most compulsory courses and some optional courses involve an examination element too. The completion of 70 days' fieldwork is a requirement for all students in archaeology.

Degree Structure

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses, normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Year One

Compulsory courses

World Archaeology: An Outline of the Deep History of Human Societies
Introduction to Archaeology
Field Methods
Sites and Artefacts
People and Environments
Introduction to Social Anthropology

Optional courses

You will select one 0.5 credit option from the following:

Introduction to Roman Archaeology
Introduction to Greek Archaeology
Introduction to Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology
Introduction to European Prehistory
Texts in Archaeology

Year Two

Compulsory courses

Interpreting Archaeological Evidence
Research and Presentation Skills
Public Archaeology
Current Issues in Archaeological Theory

Optional courses

You will select 0.5 credits in World Archaeology
0.5 credits in Archaeological Science or Skills – an updated list will be published each year
1.0 credits of options in Archaeology or a related subject to be selected in consultation with your Personal Tutor

Third Year

Year abroad

Final Year

Compulsory courses

Dissertation
Field Archaeology
Archaeology in the World

Optional courses

You will select a total of 2.0 credits from the following :

0.5 credits in World Archaeology
0.5 credits in Archaeological Science or Skills – an updated list will be published each year
Options in Archaeology or a related subject, to be selected in consultation with your Personal Tutor to the value of 1.0 credits

Further details available on degree page of subject website:

Your Career

At the end of the programme, you will possess invaluable transferable skills such as working as part of a team, analysing and interpreting complex data, organising your time and resources, and structuring and communicating your ideas verbally and in writing.

The extensive fieldwork component of the programme gives our graduates a real advantage in seeking a career in archaeology. This is evident by the numbers of graduates who gain employment with archaeological field units or pursue a further qualification in a specialised aspect of the discipline.

For others, an archaeology degree offers a strong foundation in law, business, the civil service, accountancy, teaching, film and a wide range of other fields.

Destinations

The first cohort of students admitted to this programme will qualify in 2013. First destinations of recent graduates (2009-2011) from the Archaeology BA include:

  • Field Archaeologist, Museum of London (2011)
  • Archaeologist, British Institute of Archaeology (2010)
  • Full-time student, MA in Rome and its Neighbours at the University of Leicester (2010)
  • Full-time student, MA in Principles of Conservation (Archaeology) at UCL (2009)
  • Full-time student, MA in Museum Studies at UCL (2009)

Find out more about London graduates' careers by visiting the Careers Group (University of London) website:

Application

Your Application

We use predicted grades, references, previous academic records and the personal statement on your application to assess your suitability for the programme. You should demonstrate your interest in studying archaeology and explain the measures you have taken to sustain your interest in the past. Evidence of interests and activities beyond the school curriculum will also be of benefit.

How to Apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

Unless living overseas, all applicants under consideration are invited to attend a short, informal interview at an applicant open day. The interview is used to assess your motivation to study the programme and your ability to formulate opinions on relevant topics.

Additionally, the open day allows you to meet tutors and current students, tour UCL and the institute, and find out more about the degree programmes, resources and facilities we offer. A telephone interview will be arranged for candidates resident overseas.